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ECL® Propellant Demonstration for Extended Range in 120mm Mortar

combined with Ballistic and Chemical Stability Equals Win for the Warfighter

Kelly Moran, Jim Wedwick (ATK)Howard Shimm (ARDEC)

Ulrich Schaedeli, Dominik Antenen, Kurt Ryf (Nitrochemie)

NDIA Conference44th Annual Gun & Missile System Conference

Kansas City, 7th April 2009

“Approved for Public Release; Distribution Unlimited”

ECL Propellant Technology for 120mm Mortars

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General Requirements for Future Close Fight

Main Goals

New “hit target” precise roundsSuppression Destruction

Compensation for heavier or high drag precision optimized projectilesuse current firing tables

Potential for extension of battle space ranges

Reducing number of rounds fired and time to fire those rounds

Reducing risks of collateral damage to civilians and valued infrastructure

Propulsion System = decisive element in a chain of differentsystem approaches for fulfillment of future requirements

Propulsion System = decisive element in a chain of differentsystem approaches for fulfillment of future requirements

ECL Propellant Technology for 120mm Mortars

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General Requirements for Future Close Fight

Capability: urban clutter, rubbled terrain- precision engagements (collateral damage)- mobility and survivability

Propulsion specific requirements:- shelf life (extreme loads)- safety, reliability, consistency- energy density for range

improvements

Propulsion specific requirements:- shelf life (extreme loads)- safety, reliability, consistency- energy density for range

improvements

Capability: complex terrain and vegetation- extended range (battle space)- precision optimized Range Requirement

Urban War Fight

ECL Propellant Technology for 120mm Mortars

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Prospective Path for Future Close Fight

Today 2010 - 2012 20xx

Munition

Lethality

Range

CurrentHE

Area fire*

PrecisionOptimized

Destruction

PrecisionOptimized

Destruction

7.2 km 7.2 - 10 km 10 – 12 km**

(protected troops in bunkers,urban structures or vehicles)

* Suppression of enemy troops** Depending on system approach

New advanced propulsion technology is available for offeringsignificant benefits for such future system solutions!

ECL Propellant Technology for 120mm Mortars

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Advantages of ECL® Propellants in Mortar Applications

Main Benefits of new ECL® propellants compared to current nitroglycerine-containing propellant solutions: Improved performance potential due to

High energy density and thermal conversionTunable force level, favorable thermodynamic features

Improved dispersion (v), consistency and repeatability (lot to lot)improved accuracy and precision

Direct incorporation of muzzle flash suppressantsno need for added separate "salt pills"

Higher cook-off resistance, improved IM propertiesNG-free (safety) / non-toxic "green" formulationAvoidance of critical migration problems (plasticizers)Much higher service life in A1 climatic zones due to:

improved chemical and ballistic stabilityimproved compatibility

ECL Propellant Technology for 120mm Mortars

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Nitrochemie Extruded Composite Low-sensitivity (ECL®) Propellant has demonstrated performance improvements in current 120mm mortar system

Thermal and chemical stability improvements result in more consistent muzzle velocity over the range of temperature environments, especially at elevated temperatures

This results in improved ballistic precision (no changes in stockpile)

Increased energy density will compensate for heavier, higher drag projectiles

This will eliminate the need to modify firing table and ballistic software when firing heavier or higher drag projectiles

ECL® propellants offer performance and safety benefits for future solutions

ECL® propellants offer performance and safety benefits for future solutions

ECL® US Mortar Range Extension Program (8 km)Conclusions from Firing Tests May 2008 in Yuma

No velocity shift, consistent dispersions

ECL Propellant Technology for 120mm Mortars

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> 8000m range target achieved with low charge density >20% “head room”, potential for further improvements on serial production basis

This demonstrates that there is ample ballistic “head room” to compensate for heavier, higher drag projectiles

Range at STD MET just reflects removing MET effects from range values

ECL® Excellent Interior Ballistic PerformanceUS Mortar Range Extension Program (8 km) Results from Firing Tests May 2008 in Yuma

865483181707244.76378.9845830.41ECL®

(m)(m)(psi)(sec)(mps)(m)(lb)

RangeYPG Met

Range Std MetPress1TOFMVRangeWt145 DEG F

865483181707244.76378.9845830.41ECL®

(m)(m)(psi)(sec)(mps)(m)(lb)

RangeYPG Met

Range Std MetPress1TOFMVRangeWt145 DEG F

ECL Propellant Technology for 120mm Mortars

8250N/A1441643.89366.3818730.42ECL®

(m)(m)(psi)(sec)(mps)(m)(lb)

RangeYPG Met

Range Std MetPress1TOFMVRangeWt70 DEG F

79801441643.89366.3818730.42ECL®

(m)(m)(psi)(sec)(mps)(m)(lb)

RangeYPG Met

Range Std MetPress1TOFMVRangeWt70 DEG F

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ECL® Prolonged Service Life; Increased Safety / ReliabilityGeneral Aging Factors reduced by > factor 3

Much longer shelf lifeNo danger of self-ignition of the propellant during storage (A1 zone)

Problem of plasticizer migration eliminatedNo deterioration of other components of the mortar grenade due to NG uptakeFull functionality of system maintained even after long-term storageECL® can also be used for igniter propel-ling technology for entire system

Essentially no changes of interior ballistic properties after aging

Best possible precision / hit probability even after long-term storage

ECL Propellant Technology for 120mm Mortars

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ECL® Excellent Chemical StabilityResults from ARDEC investigations, June 2008: ECL and Ball Powder Depletion of primary stabilizer after extreme aging at 71°C for 21 days

RES (Residual Effective Stabilizer) – virgin stabilizer material, full stabilizing potentialDaughter products – byproducts of stabilizer depletion, less effective at maintaining stability

Nitrochemie ECL®: 77% primary stabilizer left, 92% total stabilizer left M47 propellant: 9% primary stabilizer left, 27% total stabilizer left

Nitrochemie ECL®: improved stability with non-NG formulation non-toxic stabilizer

M47 propellant: Diphenylamine (DPA) stabilizerclassified "carcinogenic"

Chemical Stability

ECL Propellant M47 Ball Powder

RESRES + Daughter RES

RES + Daughter

Baseline 1.102 1.102 1.013 1.051

21 days 0.85 1.015 0.099 0.287

ECL Propellant Technology for 120mm Mortars

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0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

Plas

ticiz

er U

ptak

e [%

]

35%

7%None(< 0.2%)

Equilibrium Plasticizer Uptake of Felted Fiber Container (@ 60°C)

Plasticizers used in ECL® propellant do not migrate

unchanged mechanical properties of increment materials after long-term storage!!!

ECL® Problem of Plasticizer (NG) Migration Eliminated

ECL Propellant Technology for 120mm Mortars

Double Base

EI® ECL®

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ECL® Excellent Ballistic StabilityResults from Tests Yuma, June 2008

No change of muzzle velocityNo deterioration of 1st hit probability / collateral damage risk with aging

Conditioned at 160°F / 71°C for 20 days

NitrochemieLinear (Nitrochemie)

Other propellant candidatesLinear (other candidates)

ECL Propellant Technology for 120mm Mortars

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3-4x larger dispersion

ECL® Excellent Ballistic StabilityCurrent Propellant Solutions:Significant dispersion already for non-aged propellant / chargeVelocity shift and thus impact on shot range due to agingMassively increased target area if ammo with various aging history is firedHigh dispersion and collateral damage

ECL® Propellant:Low dispersion for non-aged propellant / chargeNo significant change in muzzle velocity / shot distance due to agingTarget area remains small even if ammo with various aging history is firedMinimum collateral damage, reduced number of rounds

Dispersion

ECL Propellant Technology for 120mm Mortars

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ECL® Incorporation of Muzzle Flash / Blast SuppressantsFiring Test Switzerland (January 2008)

ECL® propellant allows the incorporation of MF suppressant additives and thus

avoiding need for added "salt pills"

Propellant with low potassium

salt content

ECL® Propellant with high potassium salt

content (incorporated)

Incorporation of sufficient salt loadenhances the loading charge

potential of propellant!

ECL Propellant Technology for 120mm Mortars

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ConclusionsECLECL®® is the propellant of choice for future mortar roundsis the propellant of choice for future mortar rounds(step forward into 21(step forward into 21st st century):century):

ECL® Propellant is well suited for any range extension program (e.g. for range extension of current or future system configurations)

ECL® has the high energy density needed to compensate for future heavier or high drag projectiles and still use current firing tables

ECL® is chemically and ballistically stable during long term storage at high temperatures (current mortar propellant solutions are not). This provides

improved safety for our war fighters for all kind of close fightssuperior ballistic accuracy and reduced collateral damagesaving of rounds and time to firelonger service-life, reduced life cycle costs

ECL® has proven its unique overall potential in Yuma test campaign

ECL Propellant Technology for 120mm Mortars

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AcknowledgmentsCo-workers at ARDEC, Picatinny Arsenal

Bishara Elmasri, Elbert Caravaca and Brian Talley

Co-workers at Nitrochemie Wimmis AGBeat Vogelsanger, Peter Zoss and Heinz Jaskolka

Co-workers at ATK Radford PlantSteve Ritchie, Randy O’Brien and Amy Morris

Audience: For your Attention

Wimmis, Switzerland Radford, USARadford, Virginia

ECL Propellant Technology for 120mm Mortars